SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, June 28, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A Salt Lake City firefighter was injured early Friday morning after being hit by a suspected DUI driver.
Salt Lake City Police Lt. Brett Olsen told Gephardt Daily the firefighter had been called out to check on a notifier alarm at a business near 273 West 200 South about 1:15 a.m.
Olsen said the firefighter was outside the structure when two men in a white RAM pickup tried to squeeze between parked cars and a firetruck while trying to leave the area.
According to Olsen, the firefighter tried to stop the pickup, only to be hit by the passing vehicle and injuring his hand in the process.
The fire truck was also damaged.
The RAM’s driver ignored commands to pull over and fled westbound on 200 North before turning north onto 300 West.
Police put out an attempt-to-locate call and officers from SLCPD, UHP and UTA joined in the search.
A short while later, the truck was found abandoned, high-centered on a concrete and steel barrier — part of the TRAX line on the North Temple Overpass.
Olsen said while police were still on scene, a man called dispatch and reported his pickup truck had been stolen.
Officers quickly made arrangements to meet the man. They also made arrangements for firefighters to attend the meeting, who promptly identified him as the driver of the pickup at the time of the initial incident.
The pickup driver was taken into custody for alleged DUI, hit-and-run involving an injury, failure to obey a public safety officer and filing a false police report.
Olsen said the injured firefighter was not seriously hurt.
